Geothermal power plants

Given the limited availability of fossil fuels and the challenges of climate change caused by greenhouse gases, the virtually inexhaustible geothermal power belongs to one of the most promising energy sources of the future.

The efficiency of a geothermal power plant depends on the flow rate, the pressurization levels as well as the temperatures of the thermal water coming out of the ground. For process and in many cases also accounting purposes, an accurate and reliable flow measurement at the outlet of the thermal wells is crucial.

As the thermal water contains entrained gases and solid particles, wetted flow measurement systems are often prone to abrasion. Furthermore, as the thermal water rises by its own potential without any pump assistance, the selected flow meters shouldn’t introduce any additional pressure losses inside the pipe.

Non-invasive flow measurement with ultrasound is ideally suited for this measuring task. The transducers are simply clamped on to the outside of the pipe wall and never contact the abrasive medium flowing inside. To cope with the high temperatures, FLEXIM’s flow transducers are engineered to withstand operating temperatures up to 200°C / 390 °F if directly clamped on the pipe and up to 400 °C / 750°F by employing the patented WaveInjectortransducer mounting fixture. Use of the integrated HybridTrek measurement mode means that even at elevated levels of entrained bubbles and solids there is no influence on the flow measurement.

The FLUXUS flow measurement systems are ideally suited to measure the flow rates at thermal water production wells, the outlet of the heat exchangers and the inlet of the injection wells. As the attachment of the clamp-on ultrasonic transducers does not require any modification or insertion to the pipe work, the installation and set-up of the measurement system can be carried out without any interruption to production.

Advantages

Precise and reliable non-intrusive flow measurement

Easy installation and easy set-up without any invasive pipe work with no need to interrupt production

Non-invasive ultrasonic flow measurement from the outside of the pipe: thus no pressure losses

Measurement unaffected by solid particles or gas bubbles in thermal water